Review: Private Tuition

I received a gift voucher for a one on one course with Scott. It was clear from his web site that he’s an amazing photographer and I enjoyed every minute of the three hour course. It was very practical and not only did we cover a wide range of photography styles and conditions but Scott also tailored the course to cover the particular sort of shots I was interested in taking. Scott has a great communication style and was able to answer all my questions (and there were lots of them) in great detail. After having this camera for years it’s very exciting to be taking it off Auto! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Scott’s course and I can’t wait to do a follow up session to take my photography to the next level. Deborah

As a complete beginner to manual mode shooting, I found Scott’s tuition to be logical and easy to follow, while simultaneously being quite in-depth on technical skills and the theory behind photography settings. Scott’s skills and professional reputation really shined through as he talked through how to adjust for different photography scenarios. A great two hours, am really looking forward to building on the foundation in my next class. Chanelle

This is the second time I’ve been on one of Scott’s workshops. The first was a beginner series of classes and this one was the renowned 2hr private session – It lived up to expectations, we were so busy working on setting up photos and technical recaps the 2 hours flew by.

There was a lot going on and I realised how rusty I was still – lots of things were reinforced from the class sessions which was great, plus I’ve came away with some great landscape photos to boot – Thoroughly recommend. thanks again Scott. Oliver

I loved the 3hr session. Apart from being a gorgeous day on Sydney Harbour it was the perfect mix of theory and practical. He was able to tailor the session to my experience and most importantly run it at my pace.

When you go for a session with Scott be sure and ask the questions you have always been too afraid to and bring a notepad – you won’t regret it!

Thank you Scott – I feel like it’s all finally clicked and I now have the confidence to go out and shoot! Christine

2 hours with Scott has completely changed the way I approach photography. I've gone from being a man who is confused by the various dials and switches on my camera, to someone who understands the immense lengths it takes to take a perfect photo, and who is looking forward to improving as a photographer. Thank you for such an informative session Scott. It was an unforgettable experience. Rory

Definitely take a notepad! Scott packs a lot of technical info into two hours - the time went by very quickly. You will want to look back on everything that he tells you when you're practising with your camera. Scott focuses on how to use the fully manual settings. Definitely an enjoyable two-hours. Yvette

This private lesson with Scott was just what I needed to take my photography to the next level. He is passionate about photography, and conveyed this from our first chat on the phone right through the entire session. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone who has reached the limits of their knowledge, and needing someone to inspire and help them to the next level. Scott is both technically proficient whilst humble in his approach, making him a great teacher and easy person to spend a few hours with. Simon

I have been using an SLR since before DSLRs were invented! And Scott crammed so much into two hours, I may as well have not bothered with the last 30 years. Even down to how I should hold my camera (no, no, no, Wrong!). Scott provides a large amount of terrific info, so if you are at all interested in understanding what you need to do to take a "better" photo, do this course. There is a LOT to take in, but it's given to you in such a way that you can record it, slow down if you need to, and learn the proper fundamentals of great photography. Great job Scott. Mark

A private photography lesson with Scott was the perfect way to gain confidence and move the camera from auto to manual settings. Scott has a great sense of enthusiasm and he shared lots of information, allowed time for practice photos and most of all it was fun! Helen

This was a really valuable two hours! Scott focused on the things I was trying to achieve with my photography and was able to really help me increase my skills. I now understand things I had only scratched the surface on before! James

Scott was a great teacher and I learnt a lot more in two hours than I thought I would. Definitely worth doing a private lesson as you find out so much about your camera and shooting tips at the same time. Thanks Scott! Nick

I spent two very worthwhile hours with Scott, learning how to get off of the auto and the sports mode on my DSLR camera. Scott brings both a wealth of knowledge and applicable experience to the session, allowing for an easy-to-grasp, yet information-heavy lesson. I now feel beyond capable of working my way through the various manual modes to not only take better photos but also be in charge of how I compose them. I recommend this to anyone who is looking to start out with a new camera, or simply wants to take what knowledge they have of photography to the next level. Brett

Scott was very professional and has a vast knowledge of photography. He broke down the basics of exposure and we looked at moving up and down stops of shutter speed and setting the camera so it was focusing correctly. Very quickly I gained valuable knowledge and tips, which I didn't know prior to our session. We looked at depth of field and aperture and shutter priority, and how to match the brightness of the photo to what the eye sees to maintain correct exposure. White balance was another topic covered that was really useful. Scott moved at a pace that was good for me and was very patient, and he is really passionate about his work . I highly recommend this for someone who wants to take great photos for any occasion. I left the session feeling insipired! Jordan

I was given the Private Photography Workshop as a present and completed this experience in July 2015. I loved the fact that it was one-on-one and the pro-photographer hosting the workshop was commercially active for high-end clientele and not just someone with experience hosting tuition.

The photographer qualified with me where I was at with my photography and intuitively based the session on getting me to that next level of understanding and control of my DSLR. I was given every opportunity to ask questions and I was made to feel comfortable when I made a couple of funny errors. The host was fantastic and supportive.

Scott was punctual, patient and professional. A great initiation to photography covered at a fast pace. Scott was always there to check continually on our efforts and suggest changes in a very positive and enthusiastic way. Scott is a walking 'camera manual' of knowledge: whatever your camera type and to get off auto on to manual was a first for me! A passionate professional who loves his career. A great experience thoroughly recommended. Robyn

Perfect for anyone who wants to lean how to take a manual photo and truly understand what they are doing. If you have a little camera knowledge to begin with, this helps, as you'll fly through the introduction part and get right into taking manual photos and learning how each decision made effects your photos. Meredith

It was a pleasure to be taught by Scott, he is patient and a great teacher! He comes with a wealth of experience and I felt very honoured to have instruction from someone with his talent and creativity. This is a great class, with lots of useful tips and tricks! Gabrielle

The main thing I learnt was not to be afraid of my camera. Whatever way you set your camera up, you can get out of it. The thing you have to do after the experience is to use your camera so that when the time comes to take the photo you want you can. With Scott's help I feel a lot more confident to have a go using what he showed me to get good results. The city location around The Rocks was great. Scott was able to show me many different aspects of photography. Jason

I had a lot of fun learning to take control of my camera and the photographs that I take. A great session in wonderful setting. Informative, with excellent tips on the manual operation of my camera. John

I travelled from NZ for this experience, based on other reviews, and it was worth every kilometre! Scott's a professional in his field who's very passionate about what he does. He quickly assesses the ability of his 'student' and tailors any information and learning pace to suit. He maximised the time available, works with detail and is able to give praise for great images taken by others. Scott is practical, down-to-earth and fun to work with. I'd definitely make the effort to receive his expert advice again! Lisa

If you’re looking for exceptional photography tuition and being provided with a solid understanding of photography then I highly recommend this experience. This session was delivered by an excellent teacher with an incredible knowledge for the art. The tuition sessions were packed with information and practical exercises, delivered with beautiful backdrops, fascinating discussions and tailored to my level. I highly recommend this experience. Brilliant! Jason

Excellent experience. Scott brings photography into a language you can understand. Very friendly and professional. A valuable experience and now I can have a chance to practice everything I learnt today! Thank you Natala

Wanted to say a big thank you for the tuition! Who knew there was so much to a camera and taking good photos. i thoroughly enjoyed the time, and I am looking forward to getting out there and taking some more photos! Jackie

A thorough two hours spent on getting to grips with using my camera on manual. Scott worked at a steady pace. Informing, demonstrating and then supporting my attempts at composing and framing a photo. Now lots of practice is required and my notes will be paramount in executing techniques learn't. Nancy

I took a camera course today. I have been taking photographs for (conservatively) 55 years, but I was sent back to school. In my latter school years I conducted a very successful business taking photographs at school formals: taking the pictures and printing them in my own darkroom. I also helped some professional photographers with weddings photographs and movies. But in my twilight years, I went back to school. Ever heard the saying 'you can’t teach an old dogs new tricks' - well you can! My lesson was all about using manual settings on the camera, something I have not done since Moses was in nappies. And I don’t think that it is that difficult (provided, of course, that you have six fingers and an extra hand). The next few days I will be only using manual. It was a most enjoyable and educational two hours spent around the passenger terminal and up on Observatory Hill. Alan

Scott was great in my one-on-one session. He was patient and talked through each step clearly. He quickly gauged where my skills were at and helped me get to that next step with my photos. C Lockhart-Thompson

Very informative and a source of very useful hints. This was the best two hours: I learned so much one on one. But had to unlearn some things, too. There were lots of 'a ha!' moments. I plan to do this again as it was so worthwhile. A great day ... and The Rocks (Sydney) was a perfect place to learn. Angela

This was the best two hours. I learned so much one on one. But had to unlearn some things too. There were lots of "a ha!" moments. I plan to do this again as it was so worthwhile. A great day....and The Rocks (Sydney) was a perfect place to learn. Thanks Red Balloon and my workplace--what a great gift. Roxy

Great instructor. The instructor quickly identified the level I was at and tailored the course to my needs. Learnt a lot of new tricks. My aim was to use my camera in manual mode and I am now much more confident to do so. Jon

Great practical session! It was perfect to be able to tailor a few hours specifically to our needs. Thanks to Scott's experience and teaching style, we were amazed by what we learnt in such a short timeframe. We are now totally commited to NOT using the auto setting ever again! Ann and Danni

I have just had a three-hour one-on-one photography session with Scott. I found him to be unbelievably knowledgeable, not only about photography itself but also about the workings of my camera, hitherto a complete mystery to me. It was a gift so I didn't even have the sales spiel to fall back on! He gave me not only instruction on the camera's usage and functions but also insights on how to improve the overall shot itself. I am now happily thinking about aperture, ISO and shutter speed. I am also giving more thought to composition, lighting and exactly what I want to see in the finished shot - all of which Scott taught me and which I put into practice as part of the lesson. I wholeheartedly encourage others to take advantage of a private half day with Photo Workshop Australia as I thought it was excellent. The three hours passed far too quickly. I am a beginner photographer but I feel that photographers of any level would benefit from a session such as I had. It was well worth it. Patricia

I had a very informative session with Scott around The Rocks last Saturday. He gave me a very impressive insight into understanding photography and also the many functions of my camera - which up until then were a complete mystery! Thanks Scott. I would recommend Scott's courses to anyone with an interest and love of photography. Kath

Scott was simply fantastic on the photography course. I was very fortunate to have a one-on-one session and he talked me through how to use the camera (It was my first time using a manual), and how best to take the actual photo. Scott is very friendly and patient. This experience comes highly recommended and it was such a nice way to start the day. Scott even spent time advising me on a start-up set for a beginner and which cameras to buy with a discount. One of the best mornings I have had in Australia! Rebecca